28 
NATIVE DANCE. 
She was gaily attired in a sarong of spangled 
purple velvet, and a bodice, compressing her 
shoulders like a vice, of the same. Over the 
purple skirt was another of green satin, edged 
with gold fringe ; and she not ungracefully man- 
ipulated an embroidered sash, casting it now 
over her shoulder, again round her wrists, as 
she contorted the hands and arms into attitudes 
outvying the achievements of a danse use. The 
part played by the feet is very insignificant, — 
simply a gentle shuffling motion from the one 
to the other. At intervals the youth shuffled 
towards her from the edge of the circle, and 
after much preamble embraced her, wearing a 
countenance as expressionless as her own ; but 
this climax calls forth lond applause, which is 
responded to by a silly grin. 
The monotonous clanging and tinkling of a 
native band suit well the slow movements of 
the dance. The chief instrument is the gamelau, 
consisting of a series of eight or ten gongs gradu- 
ated in size, set in a bamboo frame, and played 
on much as the harmonica is, but with two sticks. 
We are told that in the hands of a skilful player 
very pleasing music is produced. A thinner 
sound is emitted from a similar series of anvil- 
looking blocks of metal, and these instruments 
